Little Moments
by Marcipie
Summary: It's in those precious little moments that remind Blythe how much she loves the Littlest Pet Shop pets. R&R
1. Chapter 1 - Sunil

**Little Moments  
>by Marcipie<br>a Littlest Pet Shop short story tribute**

_**I edited out the very beginning part because after some thought I realized the story flowed a lot better without it. Please enjoy the slightly revised version!**_

_**Disclaimer: I do not, nor do I ever, own Littlest Pet Shop or any of its characters.  
><strong>_**  
>xx<strong>

"Pssst! Blythe!"

The young fashion designer merely hummed in her sleep from the soft whisper of her name, curling deeper into her pillows and comforter.

"_PSSSST_! Please, Blythe! _Wake up_!" The voice hissed again. There was a few hesitant pokes to her forehead and she furrowed her brow as a groan worked its way up her throat. She lazily waved her hand about to discourage the prodding nuisance and didn't pay much attention to the fearful whine that echoed back at her. She was still stuck in that wonderful dream-like state of being half awake and half asleep and she was reluctant to leave it.

Sunil swallowed thickly as he uneasily eyed her dark bedroom before turning back to face the slumbering girl, jabbing at her and shaking her shoulder several more times. His heart was pounding loudly in his ears and he was going to lose his nerve if she didn't wake up. His ears twitched nervously as he heard approaching thunder and he began to panic. Growing desperate, he promptly threw his head back, drew in a deep breath, and screamed, "_BLYYYYTHE!_"

"_AAAHHH!_" Blythe bolted straight up from her pillows as a scream tore its way out of her, a startled expression on her face. Her wide blue eyes darted about her room quickly before she noticed the small figure huddled on the comforter beside her. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and squinted. She recognized the dimly-lit silhouette instantly and she sighed in relief, glad it was only one of the pets and not some burglar.

"Oh, Sunil, it's just you. W – What are you doing in my room?" Her voice was a bit scratchy from her unexpected scream and she winced, clearing her throat. She looked around her dimly lit room questioningly and blinked in confusion when she realized it was only Sunil that had paid her a visit. Blythe turned back to the mongoose as a thought occurred to her. "Wait, _how_ did you get in my room?"

"I found a – another way into the up-and-down box t – thing." Sunil clarified shakily and pointed in the general direction he knew the elevator in her wall to be without looking away from her. Blythe held his gaze for a second or two before she let her eyes travel to the wall and her eyebrows rose until they nearly vanished into her bangs. The dumbwaiter's door had been hastily thrown open and hung crookedly on its hinges. The inside appeared to have broken splinters of wood and a gaping hole through the top of it.

How had she slept through the racket that must have made?

"Never mind," she mumbled to herself before she snuck a quick peek at her bedside clock and her heart thudded low in her throat. She clutched her head in her palms and sent a panicked look to the pet. "Sunil, it's after midnight! What are you doing here? Do your owners know you're here?" Sunil shrank beneath her gaze and opened his mouth to speak but froze as thunder rumbled ominously in the distance. He turned halfway to face the window just in time to see a brilliant flash that lit up the clouds and struck the ground with a loud crack. He flinched and scooted closer to her side nervously. Blythe raised an eyebrow at him and stared and he began to blush under his fur, looking more than a little embarrassed. He pressed his paw against his mouth and cleared his throat.

"I'm so sorry, Blythe, but I could not go back to sleep because of this storm and my owners don't like me to disturb them at night and I did not want to bother them as they have not been so understanding before but I didn't know whatelse to do and I did_ not_ want to stay under the couch again but I wondering if you would not mind please letting me stay with you for a little while since I don't like the sound of the loud thunder and you have always been very kind to us at the day camp so I thought –"

"O – Okay, okay, shhh, it's okay, I get it," Blythe quickly shushed him and he obeyed. She'd lost him somewhere in the middle and had begun to grow concerned when he didn't appear to be pausing to take a breath during his outburst. Blythe sighed and held a hand to her forehead. "Sunil, you know I would do almost anything for you and the other pets, but… I – I have school in the morning." She began with a regretful tone and fiddled with her comforter in an uncomfortable manner. "I'm really sorry, but I need sleep and I have this big test in my first class and you know what they say! They early bird gets the…" She trailed off when she saw Sunil had wilted as he looked more and more worried the longer she spoke. The little mongoose took in a deep shuddering breath and shot a fearful glance at the window behind him.

"You would not know I was here!" Sunil blurted helplessly. "I – I will… Uh…" His eyes suddenly grew wide and his ears fell back in his panic and Blythe winced when thunder rumbled outside her window. He opened his mouth to plead with her but snapped it shut once he realized what he was doing. Sunil fidgeted with his paws nervously and bowed his head.

"I'm very s – sorry for disturbing you, B – Blythe." Sunil told her firmly and quickly twisted his head around to stare at the window. He visibly gulped but he tried to put on a brave face when he turned back around and only managed to look like he'd just swallowed a lemon instead. "I will let you get back to sleep." He muttered and Blythe felt her heart breaking when the mongoose simply turned and jumped off her bed.

She was torn. On one hand, Blythe knew Sunil would return home and would be okay until his owners woke up to take him to Littlest Pet Shop. And by then the storm would have stopped and he would be surrounded by the other pets and their comforting presence. But on the other hand, she also knew he wouldn't have come to her in the middle of the night unless he was really desperate and scared. And here she was turning him away because she wanted a few more hours of sleep.

Blythe clenched her jaw. School was important but Sunil needed her more right now. She would just have to suck it up and be okay with the amount of sleep she had.

"Sunil, wait." The mongoose paused below the dumbwaiter, hesitantly tilting his head to look at her with tear-soaked eyes. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me. Please don't go."

Sunil swallowed and crossed his arms, hunching over himself, as he shook his head. "But… You said yourself you have school in the morning and I didn't even think if it would be inconvenient for you –" He cut off when Blythe firmly shoved the covers aside and stood. She approached him and knelt in front of him.

"I do have school in the morning. But it's going to be very hard to concentrate in class knowing I sent you away when you came to me for help." Blythe smiled at him and held her hand out to him. "Come on, let's see if we can calm you down, huh?" Sunil found himself smiling back at her, feeling more relieved than he cared to admit.

"Okay." His head lowered meekly as he placed his paw in her palm and her fingers gently closed around it. Blythe tugged him forward and gathered the trembling mongoose into her arms before she made her way back to her bed. She pulled her comforter back over her legs and shifted around until she was comfortable. Sunil raised his gaze to hers briefly before he crawled up her pajama shirt until he could wrap his tiny arms around her neck and bury his muzzle into the crease of her shoulder, letting out a big sigh once he settled. Blythe jumped a little when his chilly nose made contact with her warm skin. She didn't even get a moment to process the fact Sunil was clinging to her like a giant teddy bear before a sudden clack of lightning struck the earth that caused him to stiffen in her arms.

Blythe glared irritably at the window. If the storm kept on like it was, she would never get Sunil calmed down and then she'd never get any sleep. She felt a bit of annoyance at his owners as well. She had no idea how they could not comfort a pet as sweet as Sunil when they knew how easily frightened he was. But then again, they weren't exactly able to talk to him and therefore could not understand his quirks on a level like Blythe could. The howling wind outside caught her attention and Sunil whined in a low tone.

"Shhh," Blythe whispered and smoothed his stiff ears back when they rotated toward the window. "Hey, you're okay. Don't worry, try to think about something else, okay?"

Sunil gave a small nod. "I – I will try." The trembling pet stammered.

"That's a good boy." The young girl murmured softly and he hesitated at the warmth in her voice. Blythe's tone had Sunil feeling very much like a young pup needing his mother's comfort again. He felt a lump grow in his throat as a swarm of emotions nearly choked him and he nuzzled the side of his face against her neck. But when a rather loud thunderous boom overhead gathered his attention, he jerked in her arms and a frightened wail escaped him. Blythe gently shushed him again and held him tightly as he trembled.

"You're okay," She murmured in what she hoped was a comforting tone and leaned her cheek against the soft fur on his head as she cuddled him against her. Blythe gently ran her fingers through the thick hair on his back and Sunil's ears lowered against his skull at the sensation.

"I'm sorry for intruding on y – you." She heard him mumble against her neck and her hand paused. When she didn't respond, he drew back enough so he could look up at her, his eyes wide. "I – I just didn't know what else to _do_ and –"

"Shhh, Sunil, it's okay." She prayed she wasn't beginning to sound like a broken record. Blythe wracked her brain for something, _anything_, to distract him with. She perked up when an idea came to mind and grinned at him. "So wanna tell me about any new magic tricks you're working on? Surely you've got some, being a great magician and all." Sunil stared at her for several seconds before he exhaled unsteadily after a pause. He closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against her shoulder blade, a small smile on his face.

"Y – Yes, actually…"

**xx**

It wasn't until hours later when storm finally began to ease up that Sunil had relaxed enough that he almost dozed off, Blythe not too far behind him. Sunil had managed to explain nearly every single magic trick he wanted to learn or was in the process of mastering. Blythe was both surprised and impressed he was learning so many and had told him so. He had bowed his head and hid his face against her shoulder with a shy smile, embarrassed but pleased by her praise.

But then again, to a mongoose who was psychic, could teleport, and had the ability to hypnotize, it wasn't too hard to believe what else he could accomplish.

Sunil became aware of how sluggish his body was beginning to feel as his lack of sleep caught up with him. He lay stretched out across her, his chin nestled against the curve of her neck, and her arms were looped loosely over him. Blythe was so warm and her familiar scent calmed his senses into an almost euphoric haze. The mongoose was beginning to forget there had ever been a storm as he inhaled through his nose and sighed in content, causing Blythe's eyes to open and drift lazily to him.

"Sunil?" He started slightly at the soft sound of her voice and instead of properly answering her, he merely hummed in response and twitched his ear in her direction. There was a moment of silence before the feeling of her hand hesitantly sliding over his head and down his back caught his attention. Sunil forced open one golden-hued eye and glanced up at her curiously. Blythe's hand stopped and rested against his back.

"Sorry, I thought you were asleep." She looked away and muttered, "I never get the chance to just enjoy your company, Sunil. Or any of the pets, really. Not like this." She gently dragged her fingernails down the length of Sunil's spine to emphasize her point and giggled softly when he reflexively arched his back into her hand like a cat. The mongoose cleared his throat before he turned away self-consciously, a bit of a blush creeping up his cheeks as he settled back down.

"Yes, despite the time we do spend with you as a group, we all wish to have you to ourselves once in a while." He murmured and she paused at the wistful tone in his voice. She never much thought about how often she spent with each of the pets alone. She knew she took Zoe a lot of places but the Spaniel pup would either demand, ask to go, or the situation would simply call for Zoe to be there. The rest of them would never ask much and were okay with the time they received, like if she took them on their walks, or a group outing to the park. Or on some crazy adventure through the city. Blythe felt a twinge of guilt stab at her as she took in the saddened expression on Sunil's face.

"You mean like we are now?" Blythe asked softly. Sunil's eyes darted to hers in surprise as if he'd only just realized that fact. He was silent for only a moment, his eyes drifting downward in thought, before he raised his head from her shoulder and beamed back at her.

"Yes, exactly like this." Sunil nodded with a grin. Then, as Blythe smiled brightly in return, the dark circles under her eyes grew more pronounced and he realized he was still being incredibly selfish by remaining there long after the storm was gone. He twisted around to look at the clock on her night stand and noted it was nearly four in the morning now. Sunil sighed miserably and his ears fell. Slowly, he raised up on all fours and stretched his limbs out, before he stepped off of Blythe and onto the mattress.

"I hope you won't be upset at me for keeping you awake all night," Sunil said in a quiet tone, fidgeting with his paws, as he bowed his head. "I really very much appreciate you letting me stay."

Blythe smiled and waved a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about that. I'm glad that you stayed. It gave me a chance to just get to know you a little better." She actually enjoyed just listening to the little mongoose speak. His accent was really very charming. "I don't care what time it is or what it is you need me for, Sunil, I will always help you and the other pets any way that I can." Blythe paused. "Or if I really actually do need sleep, then I may have to take a rain check." Sunil hesitantly smiled back at her before he blinked and his brow furrowed.

"But what if you are busy and we cannot reach you? What if it is something you cannot help us with?"

Blythe blinked. "Well, I'm sure that we could work something out –"

"What if you go back to that fashion school and stay away even longer?" Blythe's heart skipped a beat when his voice cracked and she stared at the mongoose with an expression of remorse. She sighed.

"Sunil, I'm not going back –"

"What if _you_ need help?" Sunil cut in and covered his eyes with his paws with a groan. He mumbled, "Oh I don't want to imagine if we couldn't help you."

She sat up slightly and frowned. "That's not exactly what I –"

"What if you ever came to me with a problem and I could not help? How can I call myself your friend if I cannot even do that?" The mongoose was really living up to the source of his brief internet fame and she watched as he began pacing across her bed. Blythe watched him with a raised eyebrow.

"Sunil, don't be ridiculous –"

"And I don't want to stop being friends because I very much enjoy our walks and going to the park with the others and –" Sunil's voice died in his throat when Blythe, with a roll of her eyes, reached out and cradled the panicking mongoose's face in her hands before firmly pressing her lips against the lighter blue fur on his forehead. Sunil stiffened immediately and his eyes grew wide. Blythe lingered for a few seconds before she drew back enough that she could see his face.

"Sunil, you have absolutely_ nothing_ to worry about. You are never going to lose me as a friend. None of you are. I'm so glad I met you and the other pets because you guys have literally become my best friends. Well, outside of my human friends." She dropped her hands and then teasingly poked his nose. He drew back and blinked rapidly as he wrinkled his snout. "And I know for a fact that if I am _ever_ in trouble that I can always count on you guys to help." Sunil blinked up at her before he let out a shaky sigh.

"Yes, that is very true." He admitted and fiddled with his paws. Blythe then patted his head gently and yawned, stretching, as she glanced at the clock.

"Well, I hate to say it, but if I don't get some sleep soon, I won't be able to function today. And school starts early." Sunil blinked and, looking a bit guilty, he took her hint.

"Oh, of course, yes." The mongoose awkwardly glanced around as if he'd brought anything other than himself and Blythe watched him in amusement. Sunil scratched at his arm and his eyes fell on the dumbwaiter behind him. "Then I will see you at the day camp later?"

Blythe nodded. "Bright and early." She then muttered as she snuck a glance at the clock, "And directly after school." Sunil winced and, shrugging apologetically, hopped off her bed. Blythe waited until he was standing in front of the small window-like opening in her bedroom wall before she called out, "Sunil, even though I don't say it much… You know I love you, right?"

Sunil had been reaching up to the elevator's opening to pull himself up, but when she spoke, he stopped abruptly and his eyebrows rose. He gradually tilted his head to the side to glance at her with an uncertain look on his face. Blythe was leaning over on her comforter, balanced on her hands, gazing at him with a warm smile. Sunil lowered his eyes and furrowed his brow as an indescribable feeling blossomed in his belly and his heart skipped a beat. The entire time he's known her, she's proven that she cares about them. And the fact that she let him stay with her all night just because he was scared and wanted comfort showed how deeply she cared. He raised his gaze to meet hers hesitantly.

"Yes, I do." Sunil mumbled before a shy smile appeared on his face and he added softly, "And I – I love you too." Without a pause, the mongoose then hauled himself into the dumbwaiter's entrance before he tugged the door shut behind him with no single amount of grace, making enough racket to wake up every resident in the nearby apartments as he scurried noisily up the shaft. Blythe winced before she grinned and rolled her eyes as she settled back against her pillows with a sigh.

There were times when she really wanted to quit helping Mrs. Twombly in the pet shop. She had even seriously considered it when swamped with too much homework while she was handing out treats or taking them on their walks. The stress that came with the responsibility of caring for a total of seven pets every day could be a bit overbearing for a young teen in high school. Blythe often felt like a mother dealing with her children and wondered when she would be getting gray hairs. But then there were times, like tonight, that made every single headache worth it in the end.

And it was in those precious little moments that Blythe truly felt complete.

**xx**

**(covers face) Um. You made it to the end.**

_**What do I do now**_**.**

**CONGRATS. I am actually surprised if you're reading this because honestly I JUST KEPT WRITING UNTIL I WAS TIRED OF WRITING and I wasn't expecting anyone to suffer reading this entire thing. I had no stopping point planned. That's why it's a little…lengthy. I really just wanted to see some fluffy-pet-love between these two because Sunil was literally the very reason I got into this show to begin with. And he's my favorite pet to this very day. He's just so** _**precious**_** and since Chez Paris aired, I have become literally obsessed with the very idea of writing a suave and Romeo-like Sunil and trying to romance the girls. But we shall see if I can ever get THAT story mapped out. (coughs)**

**This is in no way meant to be romantic or even a pairing despite how affectionate they are. I just feel that since Sunil is a pet that it was okay for Blythe to act that way towards him. And Blythe loves her pet friends, so why not?**

**I was also thinking that maybe I could turn this into a series of short stories with the running theme of the pets going to Blythe for something or another. But then again, it depends on how well this one does.**

**Thanks very much for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2 - Russell

**Little Moments  
>Chapter Two<br>**_**requested by BrittanyBrighttheMagikatin**_

**I'm sorry this took so long and I hope you enjoy!**

_**Disclaimer: I do not, nor do I ever, own Littlest Pet Shop or its characters.**_

**xx**

Blythe always wondered how the pets created such a disastrous mess in the day camp some days. And on those same days she wondered how such small creatures could even make such big messes in the first place.

When she had gone to check on all of them after a long day of dealing with school and the Biskit twins, she walked in only to stop dead in her tracks. There was paint on the ceiling, walls, and it was even smeared across the carpet in several areas including near the pet food dispensers.

Her hand had promptly connected with her forehead as a headache began forming in between her eyes.

After giving her little pet friends a disapproving scowl to which they responded to by whistling innocently, grinning sheepishly, or looking ashamed, Blythe then heaved a long-suffering sigh and reluctantly began picking up scattered chew toys and assorted items that were caked in drying paint. It took her, with the combined help of the other pets, a total of three hours to clean up the entire day camp. Her arms was sore from scrubbing the carpet and the walls and from reaching above her head to scrape paint off the ceiling.

Blythe was going to be picking Minka's paint out from under her fingernails for several days.

"Finally done," Blythe moaned as she slid to the floor with her back against the wall and closed her eyes. Her long brown hair, which had been pulled back into her signature ponytail for the day, was hanging lopsided from the scrunchie. Her clothes were now stained several new colors and wrinkled. She swept a hand through her scattered bangs and sighed.

"Are you alright, darling?" Cracking open one eye, Blythe eyed the pampered pup with an expression close to irritation. Zoe blinked at the look and shifted her eyes to the side. "Sorry, standard question."

Blythe looped her arms across her chest. "So is someone going to explain what happened in here or what?"

They each exchanged uneasy glances and stayed silent. Blythe pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Okay… Whose idea was it?"

The pets shared another look. Then they collectively took a large step backwards, leaving Russell standing up front. He blinked up at Blythe for a fraction of a second before his eyes widened and he whirled around to face his friends. He stiffened briefly before he covered it up with a stuttered yelp. "H – Hey!"

"Sorry, Russell, but you _were_ the one who suggested a fun 'activity'." Pepper air-quoted with a shrug. Russell's brows furrowed and his eye twitched.

"I merely suggested we take a break from our usual activities, not that we should make a mess of the day camp!" The little hedgehog cried indignantly.

"Oh lighten up, Rusty, we do that at least once a week." Vinnie told him indifferently with a wave of his hand. Blythe heaved a sigh and slapped her forehead. The fur on Russell's neck bristled slightly.

"It would be nice if we didn't since Blythe is the one who has to clean up after us!" The hedgehog threw his arm out to the side to gesture to the teenager behind him and she lowered her hand at the mention of her name. "If you and Sunil hadn't tried pulling pranks on everyone –"

"Oh, do not be such a muddy stick, Russell." Sunil interrupted and crossed his arms, a frown firmly settled on his face. "Besides you know as well as I that our pranks did not cause this big mess." Blythe raised an eyebrow at the mongoose, his comment sparking her interest. Curious, she leaned forward on her hands.

"So what did cause it, Sunil?" She asked him. Without saying another word, Sunil merely jerked his thumb over his shoulder in Zoe's direction and the Spaniel drew back at the accusation.

"_Excuse me_?" She yelped, outraged and offended. "I did no such thing!"

"Hey, yeah, it was Zoe that started it, wasn't it?" Pepper asked and glanced at Minka and Penny Ling questioningly. The panda shrugged and Minka hopped onto one of her low-hanging toys by her tail and began swinging from it.

"I don't remember. All I know is that there was a whole lot of paint being tossed around!" Minka threw her hands up as though miming an explosion. "Like a bomb!"

Zoe rolled her eyes. "_Please_. I was a victim." She scoffed dramatically. Russell cleared his throat deliberately and laced his hands behind his back.

"You tripped over a can of paint when you got distracted after you saw yourself in the mirror and you splattered paint all over Penny Ling who stumbled into Minka who threw her paint brush at my back and I fell into Pepper and stabbed her with my quills and she fell into Sunil who screamed and jumped into Vinnie who was thrown into a paint can that caused most of this mess." The hedgehog recited dully, his eyes half-lidded, as he stared at Zoe.

"Oh _yeah_," The rest of the pets chorused in murmurs at the memory.

"Talk about a domino effect." Blythe muttered. Russell nodded his head solemnly in agreement.

Zoe blinked and grinned a bit sheepishly up at Blythe. "Yes, well, accidents happen. Sorry, darling." Russell rolled his eyes irritably and shook his head. Blythe sighed and carefully got to her feet, wincing when her muscles protested.

"It's okay, Zoe. The day camp is clean again and you guys just need to be a lot more careful from now on. Mrs. Twombly wouldn't be too happy if she ever saw a mess like that." As if summoned by her name, Mrs. Twombly popped her head inside the day camp.

"Oh, there you are, Blythe!"

Blythe smiled. "Hey, Mrs. Twombly. What's up?"

"I was just letting you know that it's time for the pets to go home. It seems everyone's owners are here except Russell's. He called and said he'd be along shortly though." Mrs. Twombly announced in her chipper tone. Blythe quickly snuck a glance at the hedgehog to gauge his reaction to the news but he appeared to not have been paying attention. He had his gaze locked onto the rest of the pets, watching them with an impassive expression. She frowned.

"Alright, Mrs. T." As soon as Mrs. Twombly shut the door, Blythe knelt beside the hedgehog and whispered, "You okay, Russell?"

"Huh?" Blinking, Russell seemed to relax as he raised his head to look at her. He waved a hand dismissively. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. In fact, this is great because it gives me time to properly clean and organize everything in the day camp."

Blythe casually swept her eyes around the room, noting that everything was _already_ cleaned and put back in its proper spot. But instead, she sighed softly and grinned at the hedgehog. "Let me help you."

**xx**

Two hours later, Blythe found herself standing at the front counter of Littlest Pet Shop, idly drawing patterns into the surface with her finger in boredom.

She had apparently not wiped off one of the chew toys according to Russell's standards and after several failed attempts to explain how it was done, he immediately ordered her out of the day camp so he could finish up. Blythe had protested but Russell firmly stated he had everything under control and that she should relax out front while he took care of the rest. She found she couldn't argue with him when she felt a yawn building up in her throat and so here she was.

She just wished Russell's owner would pick up the pace since she wanted to get her pajamas on and relax in the comfort of her own room. Her dad should be getting home soon too. It was nearing closing time at Littlest Pet Shop and Mrs. Twombly had retired to bed early with Blythe's promise to lock up once Russell left.

But Russell's owner still had not shown up.

Blythe was a bit confused since she knew if she had a pet and a full day job under her belt, she would be itching to get home and get comfortable as soon as possible. But when she had asked Russell about it after the others had said their goodbyes he had merely shrugged and said he would be on his way shortly, seemingly unaffected by the late arrival of his owner.

Or distracted by his checklist.

Either way, she wasn't sure how he knew but perhaps it was just a hedgehog thing. Russell would know more than her and she wasn't about to argue with the little guy.

Just then, the sound of the pet door to the day camp opening and snapping shut gathered her attention and soon Russell joined her on the counter, dusting himself off as she heard him grumbling under his breath about needing a bath.

"I never want to see paint _ever_ again." The hedgehog announced as he approached her tautly, idly flipping through the papers on his clipboard. Blythe regarded him out of the corner of her eyes for a few moments before she smiled. There was paint on several parts of his fur and even his clipboard was not spared from the colorful stains.

Yes, he definitely needed a bath. Then again, so did she.

"Having fun back there, I see." Blythe teased. He paused after setting his clipboard down and sent her a weary irritated look that caused a soft giggle to erupt from Blythe.

Russell had been particularly _snippy_ the past few days. It was as if he just continuously woke up on the wrong side of the bed. He was constantly rigid with his posture and every so often she would catch him with a grimace on his face. And nearly every little thing out of place seemed to make Russell growl under his breath or roll his eyes. Sometimes she found it cute and other times she found herself getting a little worried, if not annoyed, at his constant grumpy mood.

"Regardless of the _fun_, that's the last time I suggest we try something new," Russell muttered in a clipped tone and stubbornly wiped at a smear of color on his arm, wincing at the sharp painful tug on his skin the action caused from the thick paint drying his fur in clumps. Blythe blinked when he twitched suddenly as if he'd been jabbed with a sharp stick. He then lowered himself on his front paws and began scratching furiously at his neck and sides with his hind legs. She raised her eyebrows in concern as several spines began coming loose from his frenzied itching. Blythe's eyes widened when it dawned on her.

Russell was _still_ quilling.

She wanted to smack her forehead for not noticing that little detail.

She recalled reading up on quilling back when Russell had been about to leave the pet shop to avoid hurting the other pets. The article had said that hedgehogs will lose spines for multiple reasons throughout their lifetime. The condition in which they fall out, however, determines if it was a healthy reason or not. But because Russell was young, the chance of him having mites over just going through his hedgehog puberty were pretty slim considering how well cared for he was. Her gaze shifted from the quills to the hedgehog and back again. Curiously, she reached over and plucked one of the spines from the counter, holding it up to her eyes for inspection.

The spine in her fingers was thin and small and, thankfully, had a small bulb at the thick end of it. Blythe released the breath she was holding. He was losing quills naturally much to her relief. Although she wasn't an expert on hedgehogs, she could at the very least say she knew what to look for in case of mites.

"So how did your suggestion turn into a painting activity?" She hoped that her question would distract him momentarily from his itching and she almost missed the wince that crossed Russell's face. She wasn't sure if it was just that he was remembering the day's events or if his continuous scratching was causing him pain. He managed to keep himself from flinching as he stood. The skin on his back felt as though someone had scrubbed him raw with a bristle brush. Russell caught the worried look Blythe was sending him and he smiled a bit sheepishly when he realized she was holding one of his quills in her fingers.

"Sorry, I've just been really…itchy lately and my quills are _still_ falling out." Russell's brow furrowed slightly in concern. "You'd think they would've stopped by now." He took the spine from her hand and stared at it briefly before he let it drop to the counter. "Anyway, it was Minka's idea to use paint and well…" The hedgehog scratched the back of his neck and shrugged. "You saw how that turned out."

Blythe groaned softly and face-palmed. "That was a disaster."

"Well, at least everything is back to the way it is supposed to be and perfectly spotless."

"I don't doubt it. Too bad we're not spotless." She pointed out. He blinked and glanced down at himself. He spread his arms as he took in his sticky fur, his expression dropping into a look of disgust.

"Ew, I'm a mess." Russell grumbled to himself in an annoyed tone. Blythe smiled sympathetically.

"Oh come on, it doesn't look that bad." She reached out and ran her fingers along the multi-colored quills on his back. Almost immediately the hedgehog's entire body stiffened at the contact and then, before he could stop it, a high-pitched whimper fell from his clenched teeth that made Blythe freeze like a deer staring down the headlights of a car.

"What the –" Blythe managed to utter before she dropped her hands quickly and Russell stumbled away from her with a startled yelp. She held a hand out as if to steady him but drew back uncertainly, not wanting to hurt him again. Her eyes grew wide and she bit her lip. "Russell, I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"

"I – I uh… Yes, I'm just great! You just caught me off guard is all!" Russell told her quickly and pat her gently on the back of her hand to console her. He swallowed and inhaled shakily, struggling not to scream his frustration when his skin began throbbing. He couldn't stop the wince that crossed his face from the ache. Blythe watched him carefully, her eyes wide with concern.

"How… How long have you been in pain, Russell?" Blythe asked him softly. He remained silent for several seconds as they stared at one another. Russell then sighed and fidgeted with his paws.

"A couple days," He admitted quietly. "It's been getting progressively worse." Blythe frowned.

"Why haven't you told me? Or anyone?"

"Because I didn't want anyone to worry. I figured it that it would just go away on its own." He muttered. Blythe cautiously leaned closer to him but stopped as his eyes quickly darted to her in alarm.

"Mind if I take a look?" Blythe inquired gently. Frowning, Russell nodded at her and she got close enough to peer at his back. The skin was red and raw and looked entirely too painful. She noticed one or two spots that looked like the thick end of a chopstick was trying to break through a hole the size of a sewing needle. She winced and bit her lip.

"That looks like it hurts." She muttered to herself and caught the exasperated look he immediately sent her.

"Of _course_ it hurts." The hedgehog grumbled irritably and crossed his arms tightly across his chest. Blythe bit her lip and searched her memory to try and recall something she'd read on quilling. Russell's quilling was causing the skin on his back to be sore and tender to the touch. Thicker spines squeezing through previously smaller holes would have the potential to cause a little hedgehog some serious discomfort and a bad attitude as well.

Blythe didn't even want to imagine how that felt. She wracked her brain for something, _anything_, to help Russell.

Lotion was out of the question. That would just be an even bigger mess when mixed with the drying paint already on his fur. Plus she wasn't even sure if it would help him or not. Blythe crossed her arms and frowned as she thought about his itching. Scratching his back for him might help. But at the same time it could cause him more pain and irritation and she'd rather avoid that. She couldn't very well put ice on his back either – that would make him cold and likely cause him to get sick. She blinked suddenly and snapped her fingers.

"I've got it!" Blythe exclaimed with a large grin on her face. Russell furrowed his brow as he peered up at her.

"Got what?" He asked suspiciously. Blythe smiled brightly at him.

"I know exactly how to help you, Russell."

**xx**

"Alright, nice and easy…" Blythe murmured as she gently held the quivering hedgehog in her hands above the warm bath she'd drawn. Russell clung tightly to her fingers, his expression a bit panicked.

"Are you sure this won't hurt?" He squeaked and reared his back feet out of the way as Blythe lowered him closer to the water. Blythe couldn't help but groan under her breath.

"Russell, this is just a bath. You've had a bath before." Russell turned his head just enough so he could scowl at her, his ears flat against his skull. He was clearly unamused. Blythe sighed. "I promise this won't sting. It will help your back feel a whole lot better."

"Well…" Russell muttered and stared at the water as if it was going to reach up and yank him under. "If you're sure."

"Positive." Blythe confirmed and she slowly began guiding him to the bath. His paws tightened just before his feet slid into the warm water. She hesitated, briefly meeting his gaze, before she lowered him the rest of the way, completely submerging his belly and most of his back into the soothing water. As soon as her hands slipped out of the water, Russell was so still for a moment she thought he'd gone into a self-induced shock. But soon enough, he heaved a sigh and a small groan escaped him as he melted into the tub.

_Why didn't I think of this before? _Russell thought briefly as he slowly relaxed into the water. For the first time in days, he was finally feeling some relief from the constant pain of quilling. The warm water was calming the aching skin and comforting his stressed mind into a euphoric haze. Russell was dragged back to reality when he heard Blythe speaking.

"Does it feel any better, Russell?" Blythe asked and knelt beside the bathtub. He managed a small nod in response to her question. He stretched his arms and legs out, enjoying being able to do so without cringing, before he paused. Russell sat up slightly and peered into the murky water. He ran his hands through the clouded bath curiously.

"What's this?" Russell asked, craning his head around to look up at the girl. Blythe leaned against the rim of the tub and smiled tiredly.

"Oatmeal."

The hedgehog blinked and turned back to stare into the bath. "Um…why am I sitting in a tub of oatmeal?"

"Oatmeal is good for a lot of things, and luckily for you, it's also good for relieving dry skin on a quilling hedgehog." She explained. She then reached off to the side and picked up a small cup before dunking it into the bath. Russell watched her curiously until she poured the water gently over his spines. The oatmeal-water blanketed him in a cocoon of heat and he exhaled slowly through his nose as he felt more stress leaving his body. He sunk down in the water to lay on his belly in the water for several more minutes.

Blythe was silent as she continued to pour the water over the hedgehog until he spoke. "Blythe…"

She waited. "Yes, Russell?" The hedgehog cracked open an eye and raised his gaze to her.

"I'm really sorry for snapping at you and the others," he murmured as his ears lowered against his head. He felt downright ashamed of himself. "It was hard to stay in a good mood and deal with everything else. It was just getting so painful and…" Blythe's eyebrows creased in worry. His voice cracked when he continued. "It's just – I think it was just –"

"R – Russell, it's okay. I get it." Blythe interrupted him in a gentle voice. She smiled at him when he glanced at her, his eyes wide. "I could never understand the kind of pain you're in but the least I can do is help you try to feel more comfortable while it lasts." She told him and reached down so she could carefully stroke the wet fur on his forehead with her thumb. "You and the other pets… You guys are my best friends. I'll do just about anything for you."

Russell stared and he said nothing, looking a little stunned, but the large grateful smile that brightened his face said all the words he just couldn't find at the moment.

Suddenly, the sound of the front door opening made both of them pause. "Hey, uh, I'm here to pick up my hedgehog?" Someone hesitantly called from the front of the shop and Russell's ears perked at the familiar voice. Blythe smiled.

"Better late than never," she whispered before she called out, "Yeah, just a sec!" Blythe quickly rinsed off the hedgehog and pulled the plug to drain the water. She then gathered Russell up in a large fluffy white towel and, after carefully using the cloth to dry his ears and face, she held him close and gently placed a kiss on his forehead. Russell stiffened in surprise and stared at her even as his cheeks burned in embarrassment.

"Blythe, what –"

"Please don't ever be afraid to talk to me, Russell. Like I already told Sunil, I love you guys more than anything and I'll always help if I can."

"I…" The hedgehog blinked and his brow furrowed as he shifted his gaze to the towel she'd cocooned him in. A warm feeling settled in his abdomen and a smile slowly formed on his face as he finally relaxed in the towel. As Blythe carried him out to his owner, in a rare moment of affection, he closed his eyes and carefully leaned up so he could gently press his damp forehead against her throat beneath her chin.

"Thank you, Blythe." Russell smiled timidly, his ears folded back. "I – I appreciate that."

**xx**

**I really hope this isn't too bad. I spent such an awful long time on this and erased more than half of what's here. I apologize if Russell isn't in character but I tried to write him as I think he would react should his quilling eventually cause him pain. I also apologize if my research on quilling for hedgehogs isn't accurate. Please don't forget to review and let me know if you like it, hate it, or simply want to correct a few things! Thank you very much for reading!**


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